Come Sunday Page #3

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- I said, "Well, we got to get 'em saved."

- That's right.

Got to speak the gospel to them.

Then He said, "Well, if that's

what you think will get 'em saved,

then put your baby down,

turn off your big screen TV,

and get on the first thing smoking,

and get 'em saved."

I said,

"God, don't put that guilt on me.

I've given you

the best 40 years of my life.

Besides, I can't save the whole world."

And He said, "Precisely.

You can't save this world.

That's what we did."

Oh, stay with me. Stay with me.

All my life, I've been taught it.

Everything I know points to a choice,

heaven or hell.

Many people I loved...

members of my own family went to hell,

and they're there for good.

Now, I could never reconcile that,

but I do accept it,

because they had a choice.

But when did these people in Africa

separate from God?

When did they make a choice?

And how do they get saved?

And He said,

"They don't need to get saved.

They're already saved.

And I've taken them into my presence.

They will all be with me...

in heaven."

You get up there

and you tell 6,000 people,

people who depend on your council,

that everything they believe,

and 2,000 years of history, is wrong?

That's not what I said.

Okay, can you explain what you did say,

because I don't think I understand.

I know it's confusing, Henry, but...

I felt God's love and I heard His voice.

Carlton, if those people in Africa,

Catholics, Muslims, if they're all saved,

does that mean that everyone is saved?

Everyone gets a pass, however they live?

- Homosexuals, murderers, rapists?

- I don't know.

I don't know.

But God isn't sending those people

in Africa to hell.

A loving God lets people choose.

That's scripture, right?

That's the good news.

- If we "choose" to seek God.

- Those people, too?

- I can't believe you and I are having...

- Oh, I'm asking.

Yeah, yes. Those people, too.

Dying of Cholera and famine,

the mothers watching their kids die

in dirt fields in the middle of nowhere?

Wherever they're at. Okay?

Wherever they're at,

in whatever corner of the world,

if they are truly seeking God,

they will find Him.

Through a missionary, through a dream,

through a vision.

One way or another,

they will be brought to Christ.

And you're sure about that?

It's the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It's the same gospel

that you've been preaching for 25 years.

Why didn't you call me?

Or call a meeting? Just take a minute

before you get up there?

Just... come on, you owe me that much.

I don't know how long.

A few days, maybe.

I'm only asking because I need

to figure out what to tell Julian.

He's old enough to know something's wrong.

Tell him the truth.

I need time to fast and pray.

I'll be home soon.

...not even Bishop

Pearson to reinterpret God's word.

Say what you want

about what he's preaching right now...

you gotta give this man credit.

He has done a lot

for the Pentecostal movement.

Look, I don't want anybody

to go to hell,

however, the Bible declares,

on Judgment Day,

"He will judge the secrets

of all men's hearts."

And all men are saved,

whether they believe it or not.

That's just not... No.

But here's the basis of our unity.

We all become sons and daughters of God

through the shed blood of Jesus.

Which is what

Bishop Pearson is saying.

He is saying the same thing

that you just said.

I want everybody in heaven, because

that's what the love of God ought to be.

I love him,

but he is absolutely wrong.

Because if you are to refute the Bible

that you grew up on...

- You good?

- I'll call you.

...if you are to say now

that the word has fallacy,

then every person who came to Azusa,

you owe a refund.

Every person who bought your CD,

you ought to give them their money back,

because your name has become great...

Let them see...

the purity...

Oh, Lord.

Oh, please, God.

Oh, Lord.

Oh, Lord, help me, please.

If you had been there,

then you would understand the context.

Don? Yes.

Don? Hey, Don...

Just listen to me for one second.

No, he did not stop believing in hell

overnight.

Because they're trying to draw in viewers.

Henry!

It's Ramsey, from the Christian Press.

Well, okay. How about this?

I invite you to come see for yourself.

Okay, thank you.

- Henry.

- Hey, Gina.

Carlton's not home.

I know. I was actually... I was hoping

that I might be able to talk to you.

Can I come in?

Yeah. Please.

I honestly don't know

where he's going with this.

I also don't know where he's coming from.

Did something happen

between the two of you?

- Excuse me?

- I'm sorry. I don't mean to pry.

No. No, nothing happened.

Nothing new, anyway.

He doesn't really talk to me, Henry.

I think you know how things are.

I do.

Carlton was married to the church

long before I ever came along.

You know what Oral said to me

when we first met?

He said...

He said, "Get married

and the love will come."

Carlton loves you.

Oh, I know. And I love him.

But this was practically

an arranged marriage.

Single, 40-year-old man,

leading a family church

and all the women

throwing themselves at him.

It's no wonder he chose me.

I'm an outsider.

The balcony practically cleared out

after he got married.

We used to joke that you'd be

the ruin of the church.

I heard those jokes.

I know I'm not the first lady

ya'll were expecting.

Speak to him?

See if you get anywhere.

Please.

- Everybody's nervous.

- You speak to Henry?

Yeah, this morning. Um...

He just wanted to know if we talked

and if anything had changed.

He put out a notice telling everybody

just to, you know,

be patient

and everything will get cleared up.

What about you?

Well, Bishop, I'll stand with you

through whatever.

No, I mean what did you think

about what I said?

Well, I mean, I liked it

when you were saying it.

I mean...

I've always been terrified of hell.

You know, but Henry's saying we could

really lose people if you keep going on...

Henry worries too much.

Bishop, I don't know what I would do

without this church, okay?

- What're you talking about?

- This is all I got.

You're stronger now.

You got your demons, same as me,

same as anybody.

Yeah, but we know

that it ain't really all the same.

You fight it the same way.

You know...

You know how many times my mama tried

to get me delivered back home?

You may never be fully delivered.

But being gay and doing gay

ain't the same thing.

It's how you live that matters.

You stay with God, He'll stay with you.

He'll keep you strong and healthy.

- Hello.

- Two?

- No, we're meeting friends.

- Oh.

- There... there they are.

- Go ahead.

I cut my trip short.

- You didn't have to.

- Yes, I did.

I did have to.

And I'm hoping that you've come

to your senses.

Nothing's changed, Chief.

- If anything, it's clearer to me now.

- Clearer to you?

Would you excuse us, Richard?

Just give us a moment, please?

- You too, son. You mind?

- No.

Thanks so much, I appreciate it.

We won't be long.

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